Wrapping and packaging machine



4 Shee'ts-Sheet l ATTORNEYS.

March 30, 1954 s. FLElscl-IER ET AL WRAPPING AND PACKAGING MACHINE Filed June 18, 1949 March 30, 1954 L. s. FLElscHER ETAL 2,573,430

WRAPPING AND PACKAGING MACHINE Filed June 18. 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 20a gA/ro C Eext/vase@ @Hau v M ATTO RN EYS n March 30, 1954 s. FLElscHER ET AL WRAPPING AND PACKAGING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 e. f P A@ R c N E f msx N Nl: n E s 4 o V4. NFf 1.0 R smv m W LM am omnlol o Filed June 18, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 lll I II. I

March 30, 1954 L. s. FLElscHER ET A1. A

WRAPPING AND PACKAGING MACHINE Filed June 18, 1949 Patented Mar. 30, 1954 WRAPPING AND PACKAGING MACHINE Leo S. Fleischer and Richard C. Tackenberg, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignors to The Crystal Tissue Company, Middletown, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio f Application June 18, 1949, Serial No. 99,898

2 Claims.

article feed, and the other below, and the articles are enclosed as to their tops and bottoms with sheets of the wrapping lm wherein the edges of the iilm overlap at the sides and ends. The overlapped side and end edges are subsequently folded over forming a single folded, doubly heat sealed edge band surrounding the periphery and laid against one surface of the package. v

It is our object to provide a machine for wrapping flat articles wherein a substantially impervious sealed joint is provided.

Another object is to provide a wrapping or packaging machine wherein during the enclosing of the article the article proceeds in a single predetermined plane of movement normally horizontal. Such mechanism obviates the necessity of additional mechanical devices for moving and supporting the articles incorporated in most wrapping machines which operate on the principle of the articles picking up the wrappers and then being mechanically maneuvered in a sequence of operations in various planes of movement from which the articles emerge in wrapped condition.

Another object is the provision of a machine for wrapping articles wherein the wrapper may be removed without the necessity of a tear string, since aps at each of the four corners provide means for securing a grasp with the fingers for removing the wrapper. Such construction fur,- ther provides, with one side edge torn olf', a, bag or envelope which may be utilized for further packaging of other articles.

The foregoing objects and other objects to be hereinafter described or claimed,'we accomplish by that certain combination and arrangement of parts of which we have illustrated a preferred embodiment.

Referring to the drawings, which are semi-diagrammatic:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective View illustrating certain initial steps in the packaging process. l v

Figure 2 embraces a series of enlarged sectional views showing certain progressive steps in formation of a package.

Figure 3 illustrates a completed package as produced by our machine.

Figure 4 is a plan view showing one arrangement of a feed table which may be employed.

o Figure 5 is a plan view taken on the line 5`5 of Figure 6 and'showing initial steps of the packaging operation. f

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 6--6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a plan view of a heated sealing member, being on a reduced scale.

Figure 8 is a plan view showing further steps in the packaging process, the figure being a continuation of Figure 5.

Figure 9 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 9 9 of Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a plan view showing the nal steps in the packaging process, this ligure being a continuation of Figure 8.

Figure 11 is a vertical sectional View taken on the line l l--l l of Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a diagrammatic view illustrating electronically controlled means employed for transferring the work pieces from an initial conveyor to a second conveyor arranged at a right angle to the initial conveyor, and

Figure 13 is a diagrammatic view illustrating certain alternative mechanism which may be employed for making the feed continuous instead of intermittent.

Throughout the drawings the work pieces, items or articles to be packaged are indicated at l0. For the purpose of this specification a work piece or article may be considered a sheaf of decorative wrapping paper or the like approximately 10 inches square and a inch in thickness. It will be understood, however, that our invention may be readily 'adapted to packaging of various other articles of thin proportion, the only essential requirement of which is that the packages will not crush under compression operations of the machine.

Referring rst to Figure 4, a feed table or loading station, generally indicated at II, comprises a smooth table surface I2 having slots i3. Chains I4, arranged beneath the table surface and running over sprockets l5 at the left and i6 at the right, carry pins I'l which extend up through the slots I3 and serve to convey the work pieces I0 to the right as indicated. There are two rows of work pieces arranged to enter the machine. It will be a simple mechanical equivalent toy wrap more than two advancing lines of articles by duplicating the number of units. Thus two or more lines of articles or work pieces may be wrapped. Thus in Figure 4 the feed table is constructed to accommodate one row of the work pieces marked A and another row marked B. The work pieces are delivered to starting position on the table, to be engaged and conveyed in the direction indicated by action of the pins Il. No mechanical delivery of the individual work pieces to the table starting positions are shown but may readi'y be incorporated. For purposes of explanation of the machine illustrated, we may consider that the individual units, comprising folded sheets of paper to be wrapped, are fed to the machine manually by an operator who takes one or more units from a stack and places ythem in start.- ing position.

As they are thus carried forward, the work pieces IQ are brought into proper alignment by suitable side guides |8.

Referring now to Figure 1, a web of cellophane or other heat sealable material passes upward and over a roll 2|. A web of similar material 22 moves downward and under a rol-l 2 3 .u After passing about the rolls 2| and 23, Vthe -webs are drawn Aforward the same direction of movement as that of the work pieces by draw rolls, not shown in Figure l, but later lto be described. Thus the work pieces moving forward from vthe feed table are pinched between the rolls 2| and 23 and are other, thus leaving marginal areas of the webs 2B and 22 which areas will be joined together 4buy heat sealing as Vlater described. The interposed vrelation -of the work pieces .between Athe webs is indicated at C in Figures l and 2.

With the work pieces thus interposed between the webs the assembly is carried forward to-aheat sealing mechanism, not shown in Figure l, but

later to be described, which seals together the ,marginal areas of the webs producing 'longitudinal lines of seal 24, 25, and 26, in :combination with transverse lines of rseal 21. These sealed marginal portions form pockets confining the work pieces ID between the webs 'and producing a wallie like structure with each ofthe Aworkpieces contained within a pocketed formation thereof. As the structure thus formed moves forward a rotary knife or slitter 2B is arranged to `sever the cellophane on the center line of the longi tudinal sealed margin 25. A stationary slitter may be used to accomplish this same purpose. A shear 29 is suitably disposed and actuated to sever the cellophane on the center line of lthe transverse sealed marginal portions-21. The webs of-celophane with the -work pieces sealed between are thus cut into individual packages such Vas indicated at 30A and 30B, each package containing one of the work pieces l0 sealed between an ,upper and a lower piece of the cellophane, This stageof the packaging process is indicated zat D and referring briefly to Figure 2 it may here be 1pointed out that the sealed marginal portions 3| are driven at a constant speed slightly faster than the material is being used. Since the feed in the machine is intermittent, the dance roll 23e, 22e takes up the slack. At intervals the operator stops the feed of the rolls 20h, 22h, to permit the slack to be taken up. After passing between these initial draw rolls the webs pass under floating or dance rolls 20c and 22C, from which rolls they pass up and over guide rolls 29d and 22d onto the draw rolls 2| and 23 previ- .ous'y mentioned. The dance rolls keep constant tension on the web. The rolls 2| and 23 will, of course, be driven in timed relation with the `feed of the web .through the machine.

Upon emerging from the rolls 2| and 23 the forward travel of -the webs with the work pieces interposed `therebetween is assisted by a series of guide rollers 32, 33, which rolls are driven and respectively have cooperating upper rolls 32a, 33a.

The clearance between the rolls 32, 32a and 33, 33a is such vthat the celophane webs will not be pulled too tightly as to prevent suieient slack for the side edge overlaps. The pinch rolls, 34, 34a actually help 4feed the webs Afprward. As clearly seen in Figure 5 these vrolls are narrow and are arranged to grip the webs in the longitudinal marginal portions existing between the interspaced Ywork pieces |41. VSuitable supporting surfaces such .as the plates .35, will of course. be previded vberleeth the web f2.0..

Upon leaving the rolls 34 and Y34a the Vwebs pass inte sealing mechanism generell-y ndicated -at 36A in Figure I6` The sealing-mechanism here shown comprises upper and lower electrically heated sealing members 36 and 31 .b oth having the .eoneuraten shown y-iniFeure '1. As `best seen in Figure 56, the upper ,of thesemembers is resiliently mounted Vby means of pins l38 and springs 4B in a .suitable supporting Anflember 42,. The lower member 3 1 is notspring mounted and with each opera-tion is elevated tto the level of `the center of the `work package. The members 4| and 42 are in turn slidably mounted and actuated Iby cams 43 and 44, which cams, acting .through rollers 45 and rods 4,6, urge the Vsealing members 13B and 31 .toward eachother to engage andseal together thecellophane webs in the said marginal -areas existing between the vwork pieces |10 as previously described. As vthe webs move forward toward ,the shear 29, they will be supported by a suitable plate 41.

It ,may be pointed out that use of va sealing de,- .vice -of the type just described Arequires that the forward movement of the webs and -work pieces shall be intermittent, the movement pausing dur.-

ng the sealing operation. Thus the driving means for the feed table and the variousdraw rolls engaging the webs lmaybearranged to rfunction intermittently. The required lineal move- .ment of the webs, which loccurs during each cycle Aofoperation, will equal the overall length of cellophane lrequired for .one package, and the pause .between .movements shall be suilicient to permit .operation of thesealing device. For this 4purpose the cams 43 and 44 are driven in timed vrela-tion and designed to lactuate the sealing device during the pauses between movements. The vtransverse shear 29 is likewiseactuated during the intervals of pause Vby means of a cam 48. The rotary slitter 28, as shown is driven in conformance lwith,movement of the webs.

It will be readily apparent to those-skilled inthe art thatthe required intermittent movement of thewebs as herein lc lescribedmay be yreplaced tle!! a continuous movement. As shown 'this may be accomplished by substitution of a whether up to this stage the movement is continuous or intermittent. In the case of a single machine wrapping one line of moving articles or work pieces a continuous feed may be more desirable.

Referring brieiiy to Figures 8 and 9 the packages A, these packages comprising work pierces or articles surrounded by cellophane, sealed and then severed from the webs by shear 29, are gripped between a retarding or holding finger 59 and a lower bar 5|. As seen in Figure 6 the finger is fixed on a rod 52 slidably mounted in a suitable guide 53. The rod has a roller or cam follower 54 urged against a cam 55 which is mounted on a shaft 56 driven in timed relation. A compression spring 51 bears against a pin 58 fixed in the rod 52 to urge the slidable parts to the position shown.

A similar retarding finger 60 is provided and arranged to grip the packages 30B. This nger is actuated by a cam 6| also mounted on the shaft 56. The cams 55 and 6| are so designed that the fingers 50 and 60 descend together and grip the packages just as they are cut off by action of the shear 24.

While the packages 39A and 38B are thus held by the fingers 50 and 60, their leading ends rest upon continuously running suction belts E2 and 63 which belts tend to carry the packages forward. The cam 55 is arranged to release the packages 30A before the packages 30B are released by action of the cam 6|. This results in positioning the packages 39A ahead of the packages 38B in their forward direction of travel for purpose of facilitating a right angle change in the direction of travel as will presently be clear.

Referring now to Figures 8 and 9 the suction belts 62 and 63 are respectively driven by pulleys 62a and 63a mounted on the shaft 64, the belts also running over pulleys 62h and 63h mounted on a shaft 85. The belts are, of course, perforated as indicated at 66 and have suitable suction chambers 61 underlying their forward direction of travel. These suction chambers are, of course, connected to a suitable suction pump or the like (not shown).

Thus the packages 58A and 38B are carried forward respectively by the belts 62 and 63. As Well known in the art suitable folding bars-'19, for the packages 30A and 1| for the packages 39B, are arranged to engage and fold inwardly the previously sealed marginal portions or fins 3|, which are disposed parallel to the direction of travel. This folded position of the fins is indicated at E in Figure 2 and as the packages move onward the folded portions just mentioned are engaged between heated sealing rollers 12 and cooperating lower rollers 13. Heat sealingvplates 12a may be used to supplement the heat sealing roller 12. The result of the operation is to seal the ns onto the upper piece of cellophane 22 resulting in permanently securing the fins 3| in the position indicated at E in Figure 2. The packages 30A and 39B are carried forward from the sealing rolls by action of the vacuum belts 62 and 63.

The pulleys 62a and 63a, previously mentioned, are arranged to also drive narrow belts 15 and 16,

6 which belts are also of the suction type and are arranged to engage relatively narrow portions of the packages 30A and 30B while conveying them forward.

Still referring to Figures 8 and 9, belts 15 and 16 also run over pulleys 11 and 18. In their forward direction of travel these narrow belts respectively have suction chambers 19 and 80, each of which is normally active and is connected through a valve to the suction source as will presently be described.

As shown in Figure 10, a wider suction belt 8| is arranged to pass beneath the belts 15 and 16, its direction of travel being at a right angle to the travel of the belts and the packages as thus far described. This belt 8| runs continuously and traverses over pulleys 82 and 83. It is also provided with two relatively short suction chambers 84 and 85, each of which is normally inactive, being temporarily disconnected from the suction source.

Associated with the narrow belt 15 which conveys the packages 38A is a photoelectric cell 86 provided with a light source 81 which emits a'. light beam 88. This light beam lies in the path of travel of the packages 30A as most clearly shown in Figure l0.

As the packages 38A approach the position of that one indicated at 89, they are held to the belt 15 by the suction provided through the chamber 19. But the belt 15 engages and supports only a relatively narrow portion at one side of the package and as the package is somewhat flexible its unsupported portion bends downwardly and rests upon the belt 8i above the suction chamber 85 which chamber is normally inactive, being disconnected with the source of suction by means of a valve, presently to be disclosed.

As each package 38A arrives at the position indicated at 89, the light beam 88 will be broken causing the photoelectric cell 86 to activate other mechanism presently to be described, which cuts olf the suction from the normally active chamber 19, switches it to the normally inactive chamber 85. This results in releasing the packages 30A from the narrow belt 15 and transferring them onto the belt 8|, upon which belt the package will be conveyed forward in its new direction of travel.

The packages 39B conveyed by belt 16 are similarly transferred onto the belt 8| by means of a photoelectric cell 98, having alight source 9| which emits a beam 92, to control mechanism presently described which switches the suction from chamber and diverts it to the chamber 84.

Referring now to Figure l2 the photoelectrio cells 86 and 99 respectively control apparatus Within cabinets 81a and 90a supplied by electrical circuits 81h and 99h. Each of the cabinets contains electronic apparatus which controls a pair of solenoids |92 and |83 as will later be described.

The suction chambers 19 and 85 are selectively connected to a suction line 95 by means of a valve 96. Likewise the suction chambers 88 and are selectively connected with suction 'line by a valve 91. As shown the movable members of the valves comprise hollow cores 98, each of which is connected with the suction source and has a port 99 adapted to apply the suction to the tube |80 when the core is in the position shown. When moved to its alternate position (not shown) the port 99 will divert the suction from the tube |08 and apply it to the tube |0l.

fifa@ mations of :the hollow .cores Q8 .and con.- asqeritly the application, of suction .-flewing fillseihmegh .is ontrolled by means f solenoids I 02 and |03, the plungers of which are connected to lever arms |04 iixedto the hollow cores. The cares will be moved to the position shown when ,the ,solenoids |02 are energized. VLikewise ,the lcores Ywill be rmoved to vtheir alternate positions whenthe solenoids |03 are energized.

As l each package is carried forward by the belt 8| it passes onto a plate |06 upon which plate the package may momentarily come to rest. :Apairof chains `|07 and |08 have pins |09 which ,neigt .engage the package to convey vit forward ,between side guides ||0 and thus assuring lproper ,alignment of each package as it is carried forward onto a suction belt ||2. The chains ,|01 Aand |08 are driven by sprockets |01a and |06@ ,fixed on shaft ||3 and operate over other sprockets ilband `|08b fixed on shaft H4.

The suction belt |12 extends between pulleys .L15 and H and has a suction chamber .underlying its forward direction of travel. 4As the `packagesare carried forward on this belt a pair of folding bars ||8 and A| |9 engage the fins ldisposed parallel to the vdirection of travel, to fold them inwardly to a position against the upper surface of cellophane 22 as also again illustrated at E in Figure 2.

The Ifinal operation of sealing is effected by suitabeheated sealing rolls and |2|. Thes'e rolls serve to seal the fins 3| onto the upper surface of the wrapping material 22 and the package, thus completed, Vfalls from the belt |Y|2 to lany suitable receiving device.

As produced by the mechanism described, the finished package appears as shown in Figure 3, the ns -3,| on all four sides having been turned inwardly and sealed onto the upper surface of cellophane 22 'as most clearly indicated at E in Figure 2, the heat seal being a double heat seal with ,a single fold.

We are aware that machines for wrapping articles such as pills, small discs and the like have been developed in which a plastic film is fed along ,and the small articles are spaced in position on the web and that subsequently a top web is applied whichis heat sealed to the bottom web supporting the small articles, but so far as we are advised, the principle of advancing webs one above and one below an article to be wrapped, the article being supported in separate means between the two, is a novel approach to the packaging of articles having substantial dimen sions as to length andwidth.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A wrapping machine provided with mechanism for feeding webs of wrapping material above and below a horizontal plane of movement of .plural rows of articlesto be wrapped, means for heat sealing the websI together along lines spaced from front, back and side edges of the articles, means for cutting the combined webs through a seal into a number of bands equal to the number of plural rows of articles, means for .cutting ,the front 1and Theor. @ages .pf es ma.- terial Athrough a s eal in overlapped positionom the front and vback edges of the article, andm for folding over and lheat sealing the overlapped `edge portions of wrapping material .against ythe surface of the upper web as the articles move continuously along, said last mentioned means .comprising means for first folding over andiheat sealing the sealed overlapped side edgespf the webs and a right angle cross feed conveyor ,provided .with means for folding over and heatsealing the front and back sealed overlapped v edges .0f .the webs alone vthe v plural rows of articles in interspaced sequence.

2. A wrapping machine vprovided with mechanism for .feeding webs of Wrapping material above Ameans for cutting the combined webs `.through .a seal intoa number ofbands equal to .,thenumr 4loer .of vplural vrows of articles, means for cutting .the front and back edges of the material through a seal in overlapped position from the frontend back edges of the article, and means for folding over and heat sealing the overlapped edgepor.- tions of wrapping material .against .the surface yof the upper web as thearticles move continuously along, said last mentioned means comprise ing lmeans for first folding over and heat Seal,- ing the lsaid overlapped side edges .of Vthe webs and a right angle cross feed conveyor provided with means for folding over and heat sealing the front and back sealed overlapped edges of .the webs along theplural rowsof articles in inter.- spaced sequence,both of said conveyors being of the vacuum type and comprisingperforated .belts passing over troughs in which there may .be maintained a vacuum, meansassociated with said troughs for producing a vacuum therein, said vacuum means normally producing .a vacuum only in that trough associated with said rst conveyor, and photoelectric cells effected .by ,the feed of the wrapped articles whereby said vacuum means is switched from operative connection .with the trough of said rstconveyor to the .trough of saidross feed conveyor.

LEO s. FLE1SCHER- RICHARD C. TAQKENBERG- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED .STATES PATENTS 

